All Good Things
by River Eynaea
Summary: Gakupo needs something to distract him from his problem- so he gets a second job. Meanwhile, Luka learns something she wishes she didn't. GakuLuka and a few mentions of other pairings.
1. The Interview

The woman seated at the desk pulled out a resume. "So, why are you applying for this job?"

"I need something to occupy my time," he said, straight-faced.

"Occupy your time?"

"Something to keep me busy. I have things I need to distract myself from."

The interviewer was shocked at his honesty. "So you want this job as a time waster?"

"Basically"

The interviewer was amused, but didn't let it show. "Why this job?"

"Bartending? Well, bars are historically the place you go when you want to forget something, or distract yourself from your problems. The thing is, I don't drink. I don't have any desire to drown myself in alcohol every night. Still, the idea of a bar beckons to me, promising to help me forget my problems," he finished poetically.

The interviewer finally laughed. "That's an interesting idea you have there." She looked down at his resume. "And do you have any experience with mixing drinks?"

"Not a lick. Never touched one."

"Alright… I believe those are all the questions I have. You'll get a call sometime soon if you got the job. Thank you for your interest." She stood up and motioned to the door.

He obeyed, but before leaving her office said "No, thank you."

As the door swung shut, the interviewer let a smile blossom on her face. She opened the folder containing his resume again. _Curious man._ Waiting about thirty seconds, she picked up her phone and dialed the number on the paper. He answered after the third ring. "Hello?"

"Yes, Mr. Kamui Gakupo? I would like to inform you that you got the job."

* * *

Short intro chapter is short...

So here's how it went- I've been writing with a friend of mine for about two months or so, and I've kind of become obsessed with the GakuLuka pairing. I'm not naturally a "AHMIGOSH THEY'RE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE" type of girl, but I think I've turned into one... D:

I found all the GakuLuka pictures and songs and then during spring break I decided to venture into the fanfic side of this couple. I found a few good ones (by my standards, and I have rather different standards apart from the basic grammar and punctuation standards) but to my great chagrin the ones I really liked had been dropped! Nuuuuuuuuu!

However, reading these unfinished fics sparked an idea into my mind. Drawing little bits and pieces I admired from my favorites, I started writing a story that I swear I will finish. And not in a few years, I'm going to TRY to finish it in a reasonable amount of time, taking into consideration that I am graduating this year, I have to work on my thesis project, I am in a drama production, I have a murderous load of homework every night, AND I am also co-writing another story. So, in anticipation of future chapters I really hope you'll subscribe or comment or something. And if some of the authors who wrote GakuLuka stories I liked COMMENTED on this story, I think I would faint. Well, not faint... but, you know...


	2. Why is it Purple?

Three days later Gakupo showed up for his first day of work at 5 p.m. in a grey button-up shirt and fashionable slacks. As he walked into the bar, the few people there stared. Everything about him was… odd.

The first thing to notice about him was his hair. It was waist long and a strong shade of purple. And you might be tempted to stare nonstop at his hair if it hadn't been for his eyes. His lashes were dark, framing a pair of entrancingly blue pupils. After you had forced yourself with much difficulty to stop staring at his eyes, you would finally notice the rest of him. He was tall and had a slightly feminine figure apart from his wide shoulders.

The first thought of most of the people in the room was 'Is he gay?' He did have that sort of vibe about him. They expected him to start speaking in a false, girly voice, but were shocked when he actually spoke.

"Excuse me, where would I find my boss?" His voice was a deep baritone, the most masculine any of them had ever heard.

"Hey there, Gakupo!" a woman called from the far end of the room. He shifted his gaze to the woman and recognized her as the one who interviewed him. She had chestnut brown hair in a short, bouncy haircut and her eyes sparkled with youth and energy. She wore a tight red shirt, black slacks, and a pair of sparkling heels.

"Uh, hello Ms. Sakine," he said as she came over.

She grabbed his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Call me Meiko. Welcome to the crew. They're all looking forward to meeting our first male employee."

_First male employee?_ Gakupo wondered.

"Girls!" she yelled. "Get over here and meet Gakkun!"

_Gakkun?_

Two women behind the counter stepped out and another appeared from the back room.

"Girls, this here is Kamui Gakupo. Gakupo, this is Neru." Meiko motioned to the blonde woman. "This is Haku." She motioned to a girl with silver hair. "And this is Lola." She motioned to a woman with a black bob.

Gakupo brought his foot back and stooped down into a deep bow. "Pleased to meet you."

Neru laughed. "What are you, a duke?"

Haku shoved Neru's shoulder. "No, I think he's one of those people who cross-dress for fun. I mean, look at his hair!"

"Why is it purple?" asked Lola.

Meiko smacked each one on the back of the head. "Manners, girls! Don't judge other people's lifestyles. I'm sure he has a perfectly good explanation for why his hair is long and purple."

Gakupo felt a rush of gratitude towards Meiko, but it soon dissipated as he realized she was waiting expectantly for an explanation. "I just like it this way…"

"Ah, darn. I was hoping for something more exciting than that." Meiko's shoulders slumped. "Okay girls, back to work. I'll teach Gakkun the ropes."

The three women left with backwards glances at Gakupo, to whom they still had questions to put.

"Alright, Gakkun, how much do you know about alcohol again?"

Gakupo followed her as she walked behind the counter. "More than most guys who don't drink, I guess. I read a book on mixing drinks once when I was bored."

"Alright, make me a Long Island, then."

Gakupo looked around the bar. Liquor lined the wall in various shades. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed a highball glass from under the counter and proceeded to fill it with ice. He splashed in some vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and a few other ingredients. Not once did he have to ask Meiko what he was missing or where something was. He figured it all out himself.

When the glass was full, he poured the mixture into a shaker and swung it once over his shoulder. He poured it back into the glass, finishing with a lemon wedge hooked over the edge.

Meiko picked up the glass and took a drink.

"Hmm," she said amazedly, unable to hide her reaction. "That's actually really good. And you've never mixed drinks before?"

"Never," replied Gakupo.

"Well then, how about we try a few more?"

* * *

Stuff is coming I PROMISE. But it might not be for a while... And don't worry, Gakupo just hasn't warmed up to his new surroundings. Nyeehhhhh...


	3. Lending an Ear as a bartender should

Three weeks later, the small bar had become one of the most popular places for women who needed a drink. They heard from their girl friends about the young, handsome man who knew exactly the right drink for your mood and would listen to your troubles as you drank it. His advice was golden. The married women who followed it suddenly found their marriages repaired. The unmarried women found themselves accomplishing their goals- getting married, finding a job, getting out of a bad situation. All this came from simply getting a drink from the man with the purple hair.

Three young women came into the bar that day. They sat down at the counter, dropping their purses at their feet.

"I hate men," the girl with the long blue pigtails sighed loudly. Despite her childish hairstyle, she was a gorgeous, slim woman in her early twenties.

The woman with short blonde hair laughed derisively. "You have them falling at your feet! Try having one guy you've had a crush on since freshman year in college who doesn't even know you exist."

The blue-haired girl made a grim face. "Yeah, that's gotta be tough."

"I never meet any men," the girl with the green hair moped. "I'm isolated from the male species at my job."

"Consider yourself lucky," the other two girls said in unison.

"What's this I hear about the male species?" a deep voice spoke up. They turned. The man before them had long purple hair and was dressed like… Was he the bartender?

"Uh…well..." the blue-haired fumbled.

He gave a small bow. "Gakupo Kamui, at your service, Miss…?"

" Miku, Miku Hatsune."

"And what will you be drinking tonight?"

"Just a martini." She eyed him warily. Rin, Gumi, and she hadn't been to this bar in a while, having just finished their pledge of a dry month (Miku had grown rather reliant on coffee in that time). Had the bar really hired this guy in the time she'd been away?

"Is Meiko in tonight?" Rin asked curiously. "Two martinis for us too."

"She's in every night," replied Gakupo, preparing their order. "So, what seems to be your problem with men, ladies?"

Miku wasn't sure she wanted to tell this strange man, but Rin, on the other hand, was desperate for someone to talk to. "Men are self-absorbed jerks with no brains. They don't notice what's right in front of them and they have no consideration for the feelings of others."

"Hey," Gakupo laughed. "Don't go generalizing from one guy."

"Two, for that matter," Miku interjected. "My boyfriend is just the same. He's self-absorbed but can get super jealous, and he doesn't understand anything about me. He doesn't even try!"

"Again, I don't know any guys!" Gumi dropped her head to the counter dejectedly.

Gakupo handed Miku her martini and started making another. She took a sip. It was surprisingly good. He had done something different and it gave it a unique taste.

"So your guy is jealous, self-absorbed, and inconsiderate? Sounds like a keeper," the purple-haired bartender said sarcastically. "But seriously- why are you still dating him if he acts like that?"

Miku set her glass down and stared at the grain of the counter for a few seconds. "Because I still love him, I guess. I dunno... He's still the same guy I used to know, it's just, getting hard to tolerate his presence. We've been dating for almost a year. I just never noticed how much he bugs me until recently."

"That's what happens a lot of the time." Gakupo slid Rin's and Gumi's drinks over. "At the beginning you think that they're the most wonderful person in the world, and then later, after the initial excitement has passed, you start learning more about them. It's a big obstacle in a lot of relationships."

Miku bit her lip as she realized he was right. "Well how do you get over it?"

"If you really love the person, you either learn to tolerate it or you talk to them about it. This situation is definitely a talking one." He pulled out a towel and started wiping down the counter.

"You say that like it's so easy," Miku accused.

Gakupo looked her straight in the eye. "I never said it would be easy. If you want your relationship to work out you're going to have to work hard."

Miku took another sip before admitting "That's actually really good advice."

Rin spoke up. "Heyyyyy, Purple-head, could you give me some too?"

Gakupo swung his rag over his shoulder. "That's what I'm here for."

"So, I first met this guy in college. And by 'met' I mean somebody else told me his name. After college, we both got a job at the same firm. It's been six years since I first saw him and in all that time, he has never even made eye contact with me, never said my name, never acknowledged my existence."

"Have you ever tried to talk to him?"

"Nooo… He's too amazing, I'm afraid I would make a fool of myself." She played with her bracelet nervously. "It's stupid to get so worked up over him. I hate how I can't get over this crush. I'm an idiot. And he's a jerk. What kind of a guy doesn't recognize a girl who's been with him for six years?"

"Would you rather have him not know who you are and keep things how they are, or would you rather make a fool of yourself and make at least some impression on him?"

Rin gulped. "I... do really want to make an impression on him."

"Then talk to him. Make a fool of yourself; at least make sure he remembers your name next time. If you can make first contact, you can always prove you're not an idiot later."

"That makes sense. The thought of talking to him scares the heck out of me, but you're right. ARGH! Why do you have to be so good at giving advice?"

Gakupo laughed. "I just know how people work. Any other advice you need?"

Gumi raised her hand slightly. "How do I meet guys? I don't know any."

He smiled supportively. "Have one of your friends set you up. Do either of you know a guy who fits the bill?"

Miku and Rin exchanged glances.

"Well, my brother keeps complaining to me about how annoying his past girlfriends have been," Rin mused. "And Gumi's the least annoying girl I know. Why didn't this occur to me sooner? We should get them together!"

"I've never met your brother," Gumi stated with trepidation. "What's he like?"

"Ha, I'll leave that for you to find out on your first date." Rin grinned deviously. "Purple guy, you are amazing. Seriously! Meiko should've hired you earlier than this."

Gakupo smiled embarrassedly. "Heh, just doing my job."

* * *

Yey!  
This isn't much of a put-together story compared to anything I've written before. It may seem so to you, I don't know, but this is a lot more spur of the moment than I'm accustomed to. But I need practice writing quicker, so it's a good experience :D Hwelllll, this is a GakuLuka fic, but I refuse a quick story. Stories that take time are more rewarding in the end. And I have lotsa stuff I plan to do with this story :D  
But anywho, I've introduced Miku, Rin, and Gumi into the story. Can you guess which guy each of them is going to end up with? (Gumi's is rather obvious, lol) I must say, I have pairings that I refuse to stray from, but you don't know them SOOO...  
But, yeeeeah. Homework and scholarship apps are death. And then AP tests soon plus memorizing my thesis. Dunno when the next chapter will come, but I'm keeping them short so hopefully soon!  
And if you aren't a fan of any of these characters or pairings, I hope that I can change your mind about them!


	4. Simply Gratitude

One week later

.

.

"Gakupo!" Miku called out.

He looked up. "Oh, hey! How's it going Miku?" He excused himself to an older woman who was drinking a honey-colored beverage.

"I wanted to thank you, your advice really helped!" She beamed gratefully at him. "You have no idea how well it worked. Friday night I actually got Kaito to sit down and listen as I laid down the facts. And he was shocked! He didn't realize I had been feeling that way. We talked for _eight hours; _he only left at five in the morning. But he apologized!" Her face was full of joy. "And ever since, he's actually acting different. Like he really loves me!"

"That's great, Miku! I'm so happy for you," Gakupo congratulated her. "How are Rin and Gumi doing? I haven't heard back from them yet."

"Rin introduced herself to the guy she likes- I think his name's Piko or something- and they went on their first date last night. And Gumi's just a little ball of sweetness. Rin's brother adores her and Gumi can't stop talking about him."

"What did you say about me?" Gumi questioned as she slid onto a barstool.

Miku leaned over and hugged her tightly. "You and Len! You guys are so cute together."

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Is Miku actually hugging someone?" Rin gasped from behind them.

"Yes, I'm just so happy!"

Gakupo laughed. "See? Strange bartenders give good advice."

* * *

Short lame chapter is short and lame. BUT I have finally realized what I have subconsciously been doing with these chapters. Chapters 1-4 are basically the introduction. Got it? So if it seems messy to you, well then Blah. I hate how I spend so much time on perfecting every little bit of a story that it takes too long and I learn that I have no time for it anymore. I haven't worked on so many stories in a long time because I am a perfectionist and I love them too much to not be a perfectionist. SO I am going to write like this for a while. I've never gotten very far in any story because of the two aforementioned reasons- and by gosh-golly, I am going to finish this story if it kills me. However, that means it won't be polished and perfectly put-together.  
Sorry, I just needed to get this out. I hate myself for not putting more work into writing, but I don't have the time and I need some sort of proof that I can indeed finish a story.

In other news- Luka will show up soon! I dunno how soon, but it will be soon!


	5. Wishes and Pessimism

Sooooo, I figured it out. The writing is gonna be a little different from here on out. But I like it so much better.

* * *

.

.

CHAPTER FIVE

Gakupo sat in his car as the rain poured down. He rested his head on the steering wheel, counting wishes in his head. The windows were starting to steam up but he took no notice.

_I wish I had enough courage._

He turned on the radio and flipped stations until he heard a song he recognized. He rested his hand back on the steering wheel.

_Of course it would be a love song. _

The beautifully drawn-out harmonies of the chorus filled the small car. The singers sang about finding each other when they had thought all hope was lost.

_I wish that she would notice me._

Someone knocked on the window. Gakupo hesitated, considering the rain, before rolling down his window.

"Hey, Gakupo. You coming in?" Meiko held a red umbrella and was bent over so as to be eye-level with him. She moved her umbrella to keep the rain from wetting the inside of his car. Her concerned look caused Gakupo to realize what a pitiful situation she had caught him in. He smiled broadly.

"Yeah, sure. Just a sec." He grabbed his phone off the passenger seat and pulled his key out of the ignition. A few moments later he was walking to the back door of the bar, glad Meiko had shared her umbrella.

The atmosphere in the bar was warm and friendly. Gakupo felt it the moment he stepped inside. This was the place that felt like home to him. Not that cruel lonely planet he called his apartment. Even if he was merely an employee, everyone in the bar knew his name and he in turn knew theirs. He knew their family and job situations, their aspirations and greatest fears, and their favorite drinks.

He slipped behind the counter and grabbed his black bartender's apron to put it on. The women already seated greeted him.

"How was your break?"

"I'm glad they finally convinced you to use some vacation days."

"Did you miss us while you were gone?"

Gakupo faked a playful grin. "Of course. It's boring when I'm not here. How did the place manage without me?"

"Oh we managed just fine," Neru called over.

"Liar!" interjected Lola. "You forgot how to make three of the drinks and had to pull out the book."

Neru laughed. "Yeah, I still don't know how you do it, Gakupo."

"Well, when you find out, tell me too," Gakupo joked.

…

…

The night passed without incident. Everyone was glad to see Gakupo back, but other than that, nothing had changed. Gakupo made drinks and lent his ear to the customers like he did every other night.

"Hey, purple-head!" a familiar voice called out. Rin strode up to the counter and grabbed herself a chair. With a flip of her short blonde hair, she sat down. "What're you doing here? I thought you would've quit or something by now."

"Why would I quit?" Gakupo asked with a bemused look.

"Well," Rin looked over her shoulder at the rest of the bar. "There are very few guys here, if any. You're surrounded by women. I can't understand how you're not crazy by now."

"I really don't-" Gakupo was interrupted as Rin spoke again.

"You're obviously straight and yet you haven't flirted with one woman here, at least to my knowledge."

Gumi appeared suddenly and sat herself next to Rin. "What are we talking about?"

"Purple-head's lack of a girlfriend." Rin gave Gakupo a long, hard look. "I honestly can't even imagine what type of girl he goes for."

"Wait! How did we get on this topic?" Gakupo panicked.

Gumi joined Rin in staring at Gakupo. His long purple hair was back in a ponytail except for the two long strands that hung down in front of his ears. He wore a crisp white dress shirt that both girls were certain he ironed himself. It just seemed like the sort of thing he would do.

"Gakupo's incredibly self-reliant," Gumi observed. "So his girlfriend wouldn't _have_ to be incredibly accomplished. But I suppose she would be. I can't imagine him with a girl who couldn't cook or clean."

"Wait-" Gakupo tried again.

"Yes. And he's so incredibly classy; I've never seen him look anything less than perfect. His girlfriend can't be plain. She'll have to have class too- but she would be classy in a different way." Rin tapped her nose with the tip of her pointer finger.

Gumi nodded and thought hard. "She'll be sophisticated…elegant…and extremely attractive. The type of woman everyone wants but no one can have."

"Guys, this isn't funny." The look on Gakupo's face caused them to stop.

"Purple-head? ...You know we're just kidding here, right?" Rin asked with concern.

He turned his back to them. "Yeah. Of course." He picked up a shot glass and filled it with liquor.

"Gakupo?" Gumi said quietly.

He downed the glass.

"Gakupo!" they both exclaimed at once.

"I thought you didn't drink!" Rin gasped.

Gakupo turned around with a pained grin on his face. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"Is it something we said?" Gumi queried apprehensively.

"Heh. Yeah, actually."

Rin's expression fell. "I'm so sorry! But… what wa-" Gumi slapped her hand over Rin's mouth.

"Don't ask, if it's going to make him sad," she rebuked Rin in a harsh whisper.

"Thanks," he sighed. "I don't know what came over me. I apologize." He gave them a quick bow of the head. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." Depositing his bartender's apron on the counter, he left.

Rin watched as he disappeared in the back. "I've never seen him like that."

"No… never. Have we finally seen the part of him he's never shown us before?"

"I think we have. And it has to do with a girl."

Gumi began tapping the counter. "Not just any girl. The perfect girl."

"We'll have to look into this, eh, Gumi?"

"Indeed. I think it's for the best. We'll have to fill Miku in, though, and our friendly neighborhood bar wenches. Meiko and the gang need to hear this."

"Yes. It's time that we help the poor guy. Something's up, and if he can't figure it out when he's giving us such great advice, _we_ need to step in and take action."

"I agree. It's like we'll be paying back a debt!"

"Let's do it, then."

"Sweet."

…

…

Gakupo rested his hands on either side of the sink and hung his head.

_Not another reminder. I thought I could escape her here._

He turned on the faucet and splashed his face with cold water.

_ I kind of want to tell them, but I won't. They don't want to hear my sob story. _

He let it drip off his face.

_ It's not like they're actually friends with me, no matter how much I wish. I'm just another psychiatrist to them._

He stared at his reflection. Deep cobalt blue eyes stared back at him.

_Pitiful. You are pitiful. You can solve everyone else's problems but not your own. You're alone in this world, Gakupo._

Someone knocked on the door. "Hey, Gakupo? You okay in there? We're closing early tonight, so you can go home if you want."

_Ha! Home is the last place I want to be. _

"Yeah. Okay."

.

.

.

* * *

'Kay, since it might be a while till it's explained and I don't really want people to be confused for that long, I might as well go ahead and clear it up. Gakupo doesn't realize that these people actually consider him their friend. And he's devolved into a pessimist because of things that shall be revealed later.

Ummmmm, yeah! Devious plotting from Rin and Gumi and devious plot twists from me. DON'T YOU JUST LOVE GAKUPO? Seriously, I just want to feed him cookies and milk! (I know it's a weird reaction, but bear with me here)

So, to wrap it up- WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?


	6. A Plan?

CHAPTER SIX

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Seven women sat in the bar before opening hours.

"He won't spill. We've known him for so long and this is the first time we've heard of this."

"I can tell he's been keeping it in for a long time. Every once in a while he'll get this faraway look in his eyes and go silent. I guess he's thinking about this mystery girl."

"He's the nicest guy I've ever met; I can't understand what the problem would be. But whatever it is, we have to help him."

"Yeah, not only do we owe it to him, but he deserves it."

"You say he drank a shot when you were joking about his perfect girl?"

"Yeah, and that's the first time I've _ever_ seen him drink! He only drinks soda."

"I think I get why he doesn't drink. I saw him leaving and that shot affected him as much as two drinks affect a normal person."

"Really?"

"Really, truly."

"Heeyyyy. I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

"If we want him to spill about this mystery girl, maybe we need to _spill_ a little something into his soda."

"I see where you're going with this. Loosen him up; extract the information."

"And use it to hatch a plan."

"Everybody in?"

"Heck yes. Seeing Gakupo with the girl of his dreams would be the coolest thing ever. And as you said, he deserves it."

"Then everyone agrees?"

"Let's do it."

* * *

Beh. Not much to say. But it was a necessary chapter...


	7. Introducing

CHAPTER SEVEN

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The woman with the pink hair flipped a strand over her shoulder. She wore a fitted business jacket with a matching skirt and dangerously tall stilettos. The fragrance of cherry blossoms floated behind her as she walked into the high-rise office building.

'Highly capable' they called Ms. Megurine Luka when referring to her performance at work. 'Ice Princess' they called her when referring to her personality.

She had only been working at the firm for two years after completing four years of college and two years of business school. Yet somehow, her quick-thinking, no-nonsense approach to her work had gained her a higher position in the firm than anyone her age had ever done. Her fellow employees saw her as an Amazon warrior, fearless, magnificent, and stunningly beautiful.

But despite her willingness to cooperate on a business endeavor or some other project, when it came to actually talking to people, she didn't. At least not voluntarily. When referring to the woman named Megurine Luka, the title 'Ice Princess' was frighteningly apt. She had utterly no interest in making friends. When invited to hang out or come to parties, she declined. Her replies to offers of dates were short, blunt, and sometimes could be considered downright rude. No one knew what she liked, other than the obvious fact that her favorite color was pink and her favorite food was tuna.

Every young man in the building had a crush on her. It was understandable. Luka had a perfect hourglass figure, slim waist, ample bosom, wide hips. She carried herself like a princess, walking with authority and drawing all eyes to her. Her husky voice could cause a room to fall silent. The men speculated that she was more beautiful than any magazine model. If given a choice between a kiss from her and all the money in the world, not one of them would hesitate before choosing Luka.

She stepped into the elevator, ignoring the unconcealed stares of the two men inside. Turning her back to them, she began texting on an expensive-looking phone. It was very quiet for a long time.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened for the seventh floor, she stepped out. The two men exchanged a glance as the doors slid shut.

"She's almost ten years younger than me, can you believe it? I've never seen a more gorgeous woman."

"I heard she has a boyfriend already. A rich one, too. Wish I was rich and good-looking; I could get any woman in the world."

"The only woman I want is Luka."

"Good luck with that."

* * *

Bahhhh... thoughts? It's rather short. But dun dun dun, introducing Luka!


	8. Not Even a Glance

CHAPTER EIGHT

.

.

"Gakupo?" Neru wrung her hands and looked apologetic.

"Yes?"

"I can't reach one of the boxes in the back room. Would it be too much trouble to ask you for help?"

Gakupo set down the decanter he held in his hands. "Of course not. Lead me to it."

As they disappeared into the back, Meiko hurried over and grabbed Gakupo's large bottle of soda. She took an unlabelled bottle of liquor from a shelf and carefully poured it in. Swirling the soda gently, she placed both bottles back where they belonged and quickly left.

Gakupo whistled as he emerged from the back room. In the corner of the bar, Miku, Gumi, and Rin watched as he went back to his spot at the bar. He picked up his bottle of soda and took a drink. They held their breath.

A second later, he grabbed a towel and started wiping down the counter. He hadn't noticed the change to his drink. Under the table, the three friends bumped fists and settled down to wait for the results.

Four hours later, after three more bottles of similarly treated soda, Gakupo was definitely drunk. He laughed at everything and told dumb jokes to everyone within range. The customers were greatly amused, never having seen their beloved bartender drunk before. Soon, Meiko had to politely inform the last few hold-outs that it was past closing time. When the bar was empty, the conspirators were finally free to get to work on Gakupo.

Haku sat at the lonely piano in the corner and began playing popular love songs. She was a bit rusty, but soon managed to make her fingers do what she wanted them to do.

Meiko grabbed Gakupo by the arm. "Your shift's over. Come sit with us." He opened his mouth to protest but she pulled him out from behind the counter before he could get a single word out. He was unsteady on his feet.

Trapping him in the booth between herself and Gumi, Meiko winked at Miku and Rin across the table.

"Hey Gakupo, want a drink?" Rin offered.

He laughed as if she had asked him if the sky was blue. "You know I don't drink." She shrugged and called out for Lola to bring them a round anyway.

"Gakupo. We'd like to ask you some questions." Miku crossed her arms like an interrogator. She could hardly keep herself from smiling at his unusual behavior

"Shoot." He leaned back and grinned goofily.

"Alright. We'll start simple. What's your favorite color?"

"Purple! The color of eggplants," he said dramatically. "Come on, give me a harder one."

The girls finally let themselves smile. Eggplants, huh?

"My turn!" Gumi said enthusiastically. "What would be your ideal date?"

"My ideal date, huh?" Gakupo stroked his chin. "Walking on the beach watching the sunset," he decided. "You guys are just determined to make me go all poetic on you, aren't you?"

Lola arrived with the drinks. Gakupo didn't even notice that it was alcohol and took a long drink when he got his glass. Miku put her hands on the table. "How about this- who was your first kiss?"

"Aha, weeell. Takahashi Sayu in sixth grade. She gave me a kiss on the cheek when I found her missing earring." He was suddenly distracted by a scratch on the table.

"No, you idiot. A kiss on the lips."

"I got slapped for that," he said without looking up.

"What?" Miku looked puzzled.

Gakupo laughed and took another drink. As he brought it down from his lips he noticed it was empty. His eyes slowly magnetized to Gumi's glass.

"Fine then," Meiko said. "Next question. What do you admire most in a girl?"

Gakupo turned his torso and slapped her jovially on the back. "I'm drunk, but I'm not _that_ drunk. I know what you're up to."

"You do?" Rin and Gumi gasped simultaneously.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna need a lot more than a few drinks in me to go into _that_ topic."

The girls exchanged looks.

"Fine, then," Meiko decided. "Let's make a party of it." She grabbed her glass and emptied it in one gulp.

"Bring it," Gakupo challenged her as he reached over for Gumi's glass and did the same.

In about an hour, both Gakupo and Meiko were totally smashed. The other five girls in the room were incredibly entertained as they watched the two carry on a drunken conversation.

"You know wha' Gakupo? You're, like, my best guy-frien' ever," Meiko slurred, her torso sprawled over the top of the table.

Gakupo leaned over with his eyes wide. "You mean it? Wow… I haven't had a friend since college."

"No friends?" Her jaw dropped. "What abou' a girlfriend, don't you ha' one of those?"

Everyone perked up at that question but stayed quiet. Apparently Meiko had the ability to unwittingly know exactly what she was after even when she was intoxicated.

Gakupo sunk into his arms and spoke a muffled "No."

"But you're so hot!" Meiko gasped. "Not tha' I wanna date you, it's jus' kinda obvious." She started poking him. "What about this girl you like? Who's she?"

"She doesn't like me," he pouted, his head still buried in his arms.

"But you're hot!"

"You said that already."

"It's an importan' factor… and I deman' to know why she doesn't like you," Meiko said firmly, punching him in the shoulder as hard as she could (she almost missed).

Gakupo groaned and raised his head. "I don't know. But she won't talk to me. We've been living in the same apartment building for two years and she won't even say good morning to me."

"Bawwww…" Meiko patted his head. "Sorry, bu' I don't think she's worth i' Gakupo."

"But she is!" Gakupo sat up straighter. "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Meiko narrowed her eyes. "How beau'iful? I can't believe tha' any woman who would say no to you could be beau'iful."

"But she is." Gakupo sighed and closed his eyes. "Her hair is the most amazing shade of pink. I wish with all my heart that I could run my fingers through it one day. Her eyes are blue. Blue like a tropical ocean… She's never looked at me with those eyes, but they're unimaginably bright. She smells like cherry blossoms. And when she speaks, it's like angel is singing... Her lips…" Gakupo's head dropped back onto the table. "I can't even tell you how much I dream about her. She's like a butterfly. I can't catch her no matter how much I try."

Meiko nodded sagely. "You've got i' bad, brother."

"I know…" Gakupo moaned. "Her window is floor level and she always leaves her living room curtain open. Just from that I know her favorite food, her favorite tv shows, her favorite music. I know how she copes when she's had a bad day. And from walking by her car I know what stores she shops at and how many times she drinks coffee in a week. I know that she has a boyfriend, and that he's not good enough for her." He wrapped his arms around his head.

Rin and Miku looked at each other. So it was unrequited love that was depressing him…

Gumi placed her hand on Gakupo's shoulder. "Things will turn out alright. Don't worry." When he didn't respond, she peeked over his motionless body and saw that he had fallen asleep.

"Aha! I win!" Meiko exclaimed. She punched her fist into the air.

Gumi looked at Rin and Miku. "Things will turn out alright, right?"

Miku nodded firmly. "You bet your pretty green hair they will. We'll make sure of it."

"Yeah," Rin confirmed as she gestured to Gakupo. "And it starts with taking _him_ home."

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Sooo, Gakupo spills it all. Now ya know. :D Isn't his big crush so darn cute?

I do not support the girls' actions. Don't ever try to get someone drunk, people. Not a good idea...

Ummmmmmmmm, yeah, I already started the next chapter, but I dunno when I'll finish it. Until then!


	9. Hoping for the Best

CHAPTER NINE

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"Oh. My. Gosh. He's soooo heavy."

Miku, Gumi, and Rin had helped their drunk friend into Rin's car with only a little difficulty. Thankfully, they had managed to get at least the street name of Gakupo's apartment out of him before he passed out. Now, having found the apartment complex, they were faced with the difficulty of moving Gakupo out of the car and to his home. They had yet to find out which apartment was his.

"Okay, Rin, you get under his other arm. And Gumi, you go through his pockets. See if there's anything else in there to tell us what apartment is his." Miku adjusted Gakupo's arm over her shoulder.

"At least his key said the letter of the section. That narrows it down somewhat," Gumi said optimistically. She reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his wallet. Flipping through it, she pulled out various items and narrated her search. "Here's his license. Gee, his photo is good. Is it possible _not_ to catch him looking drop-dead gorgeous? Okay, then his credit cards. They seem to be in order. Ooh, he's got 6,000 yen cash in here, too. Hmm, there's an insurance card, a membership card to something weird… Wow! He has a library card. Looks pretty well-worn too." She slid it back into its pocket. "Nope, nothing helpful."

"Well, crap," Rin said. "How are we gonna find it?"

No one had any suggestions. They heard the sound of a car approaching rapidly. "Let's get him onto the sidewalk for now," Miku suggested. With Gumi's help, they moved him out of the way just in time. A black sports car skidded to a stop in the parking space where they had just been standing. They could hear loud music pounding from inside. It stopped as the engine turned off and a woman stepped out.

Rin, Gumi, and Miku's jaws dropped as the woman flipped long pink hair over her shoulder. She was just as Gakupo had described her. In the dim light from a streetlamp, the three girls could see her bright blue eyes and fair complexion. But her eyes were clouded with something unreadable and she slammed her door shut and started running, despite her stilettos, for the apartments.

The girls were silent for a few moments before catching each other's eyes. There was no doubt that this was Gakupo's dream girl. The opportunity could not be missed; the pink-haired woman had left the doors unlocked and the headlights on, meaning she was coming back. Reaching an unspoken decision, they started heaving Gakupo towards her car. Gumi opened the back door and they pushed him inside. He didn't stir as they grabbed a large black blanket from the floor of the car and laid it over his body. Hurriedly shutting the door, the girls ran back into Rin's car and hid.

Once safely behind locked doors, they grinned mischievously.

"So, there are two courses this could take," Miku observed. "Either she notices him in the backseat, and is forced to do something about it, or she doesn't notice him until she drives off, and then has even more trouble on her hands."

Gumi nodded. "Or, of course, this could go horribly wrong and she ends up thinking he's a creeper and pitches him onto the side of the road."

"It's better than his situation now," Miku said. "Remember that advice he gave Rin? Make a fool of yourself, but make sure they remember you next time, because at least next time you can prove you're not a fool. We're just instigators."

Rin, still smiling, admitted "I'll probably feel really guilty if this doesn't work out, but I'm still looking forward to seeing how this plays out."

Gumi tilted her head to the side. "How will we see how it plays out if she doesn't realize he's in the car until after she drives off? It's not like Gakupo has a cell phone."

"That's just it," Rin laughed. "I stuck my phone in his pocket. We can track it to find out where he is, and he can call us if he needs to."

Miku gasped. "She's coming!"

The girls ducked down as the pink-haired woman marched back to her car, towing a suitcase behind her and carrying a pink duffel bag over her shoulder. She opened the trunk to dump the bags unceremoniously inside. Miku and the girls could see that the bags were almost bursting they held so much. Slamming the trunk door, the woman made her way back to the driver's door of the car and got in. The motor started and the car started backing up before another second could pass. The girls watched it turn haphazardly around the corner then disappear from sight.

Rin gave a dry laugh. "I wonder where she's going in such a hurry."

Gumi sat up straight and looked thoughtfully out at the parking lot. "I hope this plan works."

The other two girls nodded in silent agreement.

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These chapter lengths seem to vary... Ah well. Btw, if you are reading this, I hope you agree with me in saying that we need more GakuLuka fics. There aren't nearly enough.


	10. Late Night at the Office

CHAPTER TEN

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That same evening, Luka stayed late in the office typing up a proposal for her current project. Subsisting on energy bars and cups of coffee, she didn't even look up until she had finished. The keys clicked quietly as the last few words appeared on the screen. Luka scanned the document and, pleased with her work, hit 'print'.

Not one to talk to herself, Luka felt rather silly as she complimented her work. "Well, done, Luka. Now you can sleep, finally." She stretched and yawned while she waited for the printer to finish. Her eyes glanced at the clock. 1:56. She rolled her eyes. _Why do I have to be such a workaholic? _Mentally slapping herself, she took her papers from the printer and turned off the computer. _At least I'm not completely obsessed with my work. I do have a boyfriend. _She grabbed her purse before standing up and stretching again. _And no one knows who he is. _Of course she wouldn't tell anyone who he was. He was the son of the president of their firm. It would look like she was trying to get favors from the president.

They had met a few months after Luka had joined the firm. He came quite often to the building, being the branch manager. They had flirted in the coffee room. He had asked her on a date. She had accepted. However, they couldn't let anyone know that they were dating, which was difficult. It wasn't uncommon to meet a coworker at a fancy restaurant or movie theater. He lived in the family mansion, which she couldn't visit for obvious reasons. And Luka lived next door to the most gossipy of all her coworkers. If she saw them together, the news would be out before you could say 'janitor'. In fact, the janitor would be one of the first to know.

As a result, Luka and he had only been on a few dates. They had been furtive, high-tension ones that didn't last very long and involved going suit-shopping and meeting his friends at clubs. Luka wished they had more time to sit and talk, but when he dropped her home he always told her that it was too dangerous for him to go inside. Just once she would have liked him to take a bigger risk for her. When he told her not to worry her pretty head and promised her that next time they would actually sit down at a restaurant and talk, she believed him.

Luka felt a warm feeling rise up inside her as she remembered the last time they spoke. He had promised her a special surprise tomorrow evening. She hoped with all her heart that it would be a reservation at a restaurant where they could finally talk like a normal couple. It took all her willpower not to let herself smile as she walked to the boss's office.

She heard a noise from inside. The shades were shut and the door left ajar. _Who would be here this late? I'm always the last to leave and that's usually around eleven._ She stepped lightly towards the door and pushed the door open enough to see inside.

_No._

Luka stepped back in horror. Was that her boyfriend with Ms. Tadashi Izuko in the office? She took a deep breath. _No, of course not. I mistook some other guy for him. _Desperate to prove her initial thought wrong, she recklessly took another look. What she saw stopped her heart.

No words could describe what went through her mind as she watched her boyfriend kissing another woman. Vague feelings of despair, shock, misery, devastation, and cold fear ran through her body. She might have stayed there like a statue, watching but not really seeing anymore, if not for the words the man she thought she loved spoke.

"I love you, Izuko. You're the only woman I'll ever love."

Those words. He had said them once to Luka as an offhanded reassurance of his devotion to her. Suddenly she realized that that was all they were. An offhanded phrase. They had no meaning, no substance to them whatsoever.

Luka moved back from the door. _I thought he was different. I really thought he could be the one. _She nearly tripped over her feet in an effort to get away. Clutching her head, she ran down the hall to the bathroom and quickly turned on the water in an attempt to wash away the pain. But instead of numbing her pain, it cleared her head even more.

_He lied to me._ The reality hit her. _He's just a playboy... He's nothing special; he's just like every other guy. _She grabbed a paper towel and dried her face. _I need to get away from here. _

That was it. Nothing else could be done.

With her hair floating behind her like a flag, Luka ran as fast as she could out of the bathroom and down the hall. At one point, her heels nearly caused her to twist her ankle, but she kept running. She ran past the elevator with absolutely no hesitation. Instead, she headed down the stairs, not caring that it would take seven flights to reach the bottom. Standing in an enclosed space would only make the pain worse than it already was.

Luka fumbled for her keys once in the parking lot. She kept repeating two words to herself over and over. _Don't cry. Don't cry. _The command was hard to obey, but Luka gritted her teeth and finally got into the car. She took one last deep breath before turning the key in the ignition. Her car purred as the engine started.

_You're a good car. Reliable. Trustworthy. I don't need my boyfriend; you'll always be here for me._

She patted the dashboard.

_ And now I need you to take me away from here._

_._

_._

_._

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Luuuuuukaaaaaaaaaaa... :'( Her only friend is her car, seriously. She's too much of a workaholic to hang out with her friends from college, even though she does text them a lot. And she only has, like, two or three friends.

Are you ready for the next chapter? It might be a while, but don't worry. Tell your friends! ;P Ooh, and feedback on this chapter might be nice. I don't know how the emotions came off, so it's up to you to tell me.


	11. Alone?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

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Luka was on the highway for half an hour before she could let out a somewhat relieved sigh. Things were looking better now that she was far away from that untrustworthy two-timer. She switched on the radio and let the music wash away her bad thoughts. Music was another thing that she could rely on. _Why only inanimate objects? _

By now it was three-thirty in the morning, and Luka was not planning on stopping anytime soon. She just kept driving.

In the trunk, she had enough packed to last her a few weeks. The office wouldn't see her for a long while. But they could handle it without any problem.

The brightly lit city turned to dark country after a long stretch of driving. Luka took her hand off the wheel to wipe sleep from her eye. _Where am I going?_ She passed by a road sign, her eyes moving quickly to read it. _Shimane. Sounds good to me. I've heard it's lovely this time of year. And it's far, far away from Tokyo. _She looked at the time. 6:04. The sun still hadn't risen, though the sky was getting lighter. _I should get to Shimane in about seven or eight hours. _

At eight she stopped for breakfast. At twelve she stopped for lunch. By two-twenty she had almost completely wiped thoughts of her boyfriend from her mind. She managed to put on a cheerful expression as she winded down lonely roads. Things were looking brighter.

Luka switched the station on the radio. The last few notes of a song were dying out and a new one started. Recognizing the intro, she started singing the lyrics, which came to her without any effort. As the chorus rose in emotion, so did the volume with which she sang. A single tear dripped down her cheek and she wiped it away. Angry with herself, Luka turned off the radio.

A road sign loomed up, warning her of a sharp curve ahead. She pressed down on the brake pedal, checking her rearview mirror. No cars followed her. In fact the road had been lonely for a long time. _That's odd, _she thought to herself. Aside from the toll booth miles back, she hadn't seen a single soul for about an hour.

She turned the wheel as she reached the curve in the road. Just for safety, she checked the mirror again. _Still no cars…_ Unexpectedly, a mass of long, purple hair popped up with frightening speed in the back seat. Luka screamed.

The car swerved off of the road and into a slight trough in the earth. Inside the car, the airbags went off, as, with an uneasy cough, the engine sputtered and died.

Everything was still.

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With much pain, Gakupo became vaguely aware that it was daytime. His headache throbbed when he turned his lidded eyes towards the light. In response, he buried his head tighter into the crook of whatever cushy surface he was sleeping on. For the next hour or so he drifted in and out of unconsciousness, waking only when he heard a familiar song mysteriously playing beside his head. It was soft enough that it didn't contribute to his unbearably awful headache. In fact, it had the opposite effect of soothing his still somewhat drunken mind.

He dreamed of searching for his pink-haired love in a labyrinthine maze. He tried to call out her name, but with a sudden fear realized that he didn't know it. He could only run through the maze, looking everywhere, sometimes seeing a flash of pink here, there. With a sigh, he laid down on the green grass, which smelled curiously like leather. The wind blew. The clouds floated past. As he looked at the sky, Gakupo was surprised to hear a voice singing like an angel. He sat up. The sound seemed to come from everywhere, pervading the air, sweet and melodious. It was the most beautiful song he had ever heard.

With an uneasy jerk of the head, Gakupo woke up. The voice was still singing. He reached out his hand and patted the surface he was resting on. Leather. He was in the back of a car. But whose?

_I can't think because of this headache._ Gakupo stayed where he was, head pointing to the back of the seat, listening to the singer's voice swell with emotion. _So beautiful. I can't even imagine a more beautiful sound. _The song stopped suddenly and the voice quit singing. Gakupo strained his ears but couldn't hear anything. _I don't know why I'm here. And I want to know who was singing. Dare I look? _He debated it for a few moments. It was hard to think, almost as if his mind was covered by a dense fog. _I'm going to do it. No matter how much it hurts my head, I'm going to do it. _

The car turned to the right just as he put all his power into sitting up. Gakupo didn't even get a chance to see who was in the front seat before they screamed and jerked the wheel. His body slammed against the car door and his head collided agonizingly with the window. Stars exploded before his eyes and as the car stopped moving, he crumpled to the floor.

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* * *

Ahhhhhh, so yup.  
Btw, I graduate in three days omgomgomgomg... I'm gonna die, seriously.


	12. Car Troubles

CHAPTER TWELVE

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_Am I alive? _was Luka's first thought. She opened her eyes. _Yes. Did I break anything? _She wiggled her fingers, then her toes. _Nope. The car looks pretty fine too, apart from being slightly tipped to one side. And then… _She remembered the reason she was in the ditch. There was a **person** in the back of her car.

Luka scrambled to unbuckle her seatbelt so she could get out of the car. The buckle finally clicked open and she turned to the right to her door. Thankfully, it swung open with no problem. She stepped out onto the marshy ground. Her pumps started to sink down.

"Stupid, idiotic…" she grumbled angrily as she reached down and took them off.

The sky, which had already been fully grey, was getting darker. Luka pulled out her phone.

No service.

"Seriously? **Seriously**?" Luka said in another rare moment of mental audibility. Was everything in her life going to be crap from now on? Car in a ditch. No way to call a tow truck. Some freak in her backseat.

The freak in the backseat. That's whose fault this was. Luka gripped a pump in her right hand and started inching towards the back door.

_I don't care if he's some psycho murderer or something. I'm going to kill him either way. _

Her fingers curled around the shiny black handle and jerked it open. Her body tensed, ready to strike if the person made a move. But it stayed where it was.

_Okay… it's a guy, and he's unconscious. _

She ducked down into the car to get a better look. The man was tall, dressed in a white shirt with a red tie and a black vest. His grey dress pants were made of a pretty high quality material, though not too expensive, and a matching grey jacket lay heaped on the floor. The man's hair was long and purple- quite an ostentatious shade, too (why in the world he would have dyed it that color, Luka could not imagine)- with the back half tied up in a ponytail and the rest loose.

Luka gazed at him with a puzzled expression. _He's dressed nicely but his hair makes him look like he's trying to pull off the visual kei style. _Daringly, she poked his arm. He moaned and his hand moved slowly to his head. Luka glanced at the spot. A nasty looking bruise was forming.

Without any compassion on the man, Luka tapped his bruise with her shoe.

"Ow!" he groaned and his eyes popped open.

Gakupo still believed he was in a dream as he saw the pink hair floating around his beloved's shoulders. The light streaming around her, shining through her soft locks, hurt his eyes.

She raised an arm and narrowed her eyes at him. She held a shoe. "What are you doing here?" she snarled. But of course she wasn't snarling. No one could ever accuse his love of snarling. She was merely surprised to see him.

"I was looking for you," he said with much difficulty. Why was he having trouble speaking?

Luka was hit by the strong scent of alcohol as soon as the freak opened his mouth. _Oh crap, I have a drunk stalker in the back of my car. I'm pretty sure that's not good. _

She stepped back. "Out. Out of my car."

He complied, slowly. He was still confused as to what exactly was going on and his head was still throbbing painfully. The sky, though it was getting darker by the second, hurt his eyes, so he covered them with the hand that wasn't cradling his head.

Luka stepped back again. "If you don't tell me what you were doing in the back of my car, I'm going to call the police."

Gakupo lifted his hand so it still shaded his eyes but allowed him to look at the pink-haired woman. "I was in the back of your car?"

"Yes. What were you doing there? How did you get in? How long have you been there?"

"I don't know…" Gakupo thought hard for a few seconds. "I can't remember."

"That's because you got drunk last night."

"But I don't drink."

Luka gave a half-laugh. "I don't know if you do it often or not, but you drank last night. You're hung-over right now and you reek of alcohol."

"Oh…" Gakupo squinted contemplatively. "I guess you're right."

"Yeah, I am." Luka pulled out her phone. _Maybe I can call a tow-truck. Oh, right. No service. I couldn't even have called the police if I had wanted to. Well at least this guy doesn't seem to be a stalker. He's just some… _She glanced at his outfit again. _He seems to be someone with a rich relative. Not rich himself- that doesn't smell like high-class alcohol- but maybe he has a rich aunt or something. _She added his long, seemingly well-kept, purple hair to the mix. _Maybe he cross-dresses on weekends too._

"You're not gonna call the police, are you?" the man asked worriedly.

"Only if you get within five feet of me. But I fully expect you to pay for all the damage to my car. Got that?" Luka shook her shoe to cement her point.

Gakupo nodded, then winced. "My head hurts."

"It's your own fault for getting drunk and ending up in the back of my car." How that happened I have no clue.

Gakupo nodded, and winced again.

Luka felt a drop of water hit her shoulder. She looked up. Another drop hit her cheek. The drops started to speed up.

"Well, forget this. I'm out of here." Luka picked up her other shoe from the hood of her car and started walking down the road.

"Wait!" the purple-haired man yelled. "Where are you going?"

She turned around. His left hand had dropped down to his side and his eyes looked lost. _Stop staring at me like that. Don't you have somebody else's day to ruin? _"I'm going to find some place to get out of the rain. You have a problem with that?"

"Can I come with you?"

Luka stood in the pouring rain, annoyed by her phone, by the weather, by the man standing in front of her, and sighed.

"Whatever."

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* * *

So, I just got back last week from a week in DC for our Sr/Jr trip and another week visiting family. I am now a college student! But anywho, another chapter for you all :) Thanks for reading!


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